Tool



J y 1939. H. L. BRENNER ,0

TOOL

Filed March 10, 1957 //Vl EN TOP. #060 A. BPIENNEQ,

477a ENEL/ Pm-ma July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

3 Claims: (Cl. 29-871) This invention relates to. an improved tool, or

plier, especially adapted for spreading the ends of 'so-called c-washers, which are used for retaining elements on shafts, to-enable such washers being readily and quickly removed from the shafts.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool of the character described which is economical of manufacture, easy to manipulate, and which functions to spread the leg portions of a C-washer without'unduly distorting the same so that the washer may again be used.

Another object is to provide an improved tool of this character having means which enable the tool to adjust itself to C-washers of different size. These and other objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed descrip-,

tion and accompanying drawing of a toolof preferred form embodying the featuresof the in- 20 vention.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side View of the tool;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the tool with the jaw portionsthereof shown spread apart; 25 Figr3 is a sectional view taken at line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

r Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the tool showing the manner in whichit is applied to a c-washer. Referring now by characters of reference to the 80 drawing, A denotes the anchor bolt which carries a brake shoe in a conventional automobile brake assembly, the brake shoe being customarily retained on'the anchor bolt by means of a C- washer designated C embracing the outer end 86 of the bolt A and disposed in a circumferential groove B, therein. Brake shoe anchor bolt A exemplifies one of the many applications of cwashers for retaining members on studs or shafts.

The tool of the present invention is particu- 40 larly designed and constructed for spreading the ends of the O-washer so that the same may be slipped off of the anchor bolt or shaft to permit the removal of the brake shoe or other member. The tool includes a pair of complemental, oo- 45 acting members 5 and 5 which are in all essential respects identical in construction, and accordingly may be produced by a single set of die parts. Each of the members 5 and 6 comprises a jaw portion I and a handle portion 8, preferably die- 50 formed from sheet steel of sufficient thickness to provide these parts with the requisite strength and rigidity. The jaw portions 1 may be heattreated or subjected to any other suitable hardening process following their initial formation. 65 When the jaw portions 1 are disposed in closed position as shown in Fig. 1, the outer ends thereof are adapted to encircle the C-washer and accordingly are formed with concave inner side margins 9. The converging extremities of the jaws are arranged to overlap, and since it'is d e- 5 sirable to maintain the outer portions of the jaws in a common plane the mating extremities are complementally beveled as indicated at Ill. Recesses ll in the inner concave margins of the jaws accommodate the ends of the C-washer 10 and define claws l2 which fit over the ends and engage the inner side edges of the washer as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. Shoulders l3 formed at the base of recesses H are adapted to engage the outer side edges of the cwasher, as will appear, when acting on 'a'C-washer to spread the legs thereof, the members 5 and 6 function in the manner of levers having their fulcrums located at the shoulders l3.

The members 5 and 6 are united by means of a pin H; The pin it extends through arcuate slots IS in overlapping portions 16 which project laterally from inner side edges of the jaws The arcuate slots 55 have centers of curvature located at the shoulders 53 of their respective jaws, and pin it is free to move in both of the said slots. The pin H3 is preferably constituted by a shouldered rivet having an integral head ll at one end and a washer l8 at the opposite end confined between the upset head portion is and the shoulder 29. Thus the members 5 and G are held in assembled relation between rivet head ii and washer. I8, yet are free for both pivotal and translatory movement, one with respect to the other. It should be understood that the pin It does not serve as a fulcrum during the action of the members 5 and 6 in opening a C-washer.

The jaws l are crimped as indicated at 2| for the purposes of bringing their washer-engaging extremities la into a common plane. The han-- dies 8 are preferably of channeled section and suitably curved to conform to the hand of a user. The handles 8 are welded or otherwise fixedly secured to prolongations 722 of the jaws E.

In order to position the members 5 and 5 relative to each other, for ready, single-hand application and use, there is provided a torsion spring 23 having extended terminal arm Z-l, each of which is attached to of the j i by having bent extremities 25 of the extended through apertures in the 3e '5 spring action is such as to the jaws which tends to gether, and consequently the jaws re -n rmally 5 maintained with the handles wide-spread and the claws it together, as shown in Fig. 1.

In use, the handles 8 may be initially urged together sufliciently to separate the jaw tips as shown in Fig. 2, to facilitate application or the tool to a washer; The jaws, during this operation, pivot about the bent extremities 25 of the spring arms 24, and also about the pin ll. The tool may now be applied to the c-washer with the jaw portions la disposed in the plane of the washer and having the claws l2 extending about the washer ends. As the handles 8 are squeezed together, the shoulders i3 move convergingly into bearing engagement with the sides of the 'washer. During this operation the jaws pivot slightly about the ends of the c-washer, the mid-sections of the jaws being permitted to move toward each other byreason of the slot l5 which receive the connecting pin I. In this manner the tool. adjusts itself to C-washers of various size.

"Eollowing contact of shoulders i3 with the sides of the washer, continued squeezing of the handles 8 causes the members .5 and B to rock about the shoulders l3 as fulcrums, resulting in divergent prying action 01' the jaw tips on the ends of the washer. The slots l5 permit of such jaw movement without constraining the pin I or allowing fulcruming to be transferred thereto. In addition'to obtaining mechanical advantage more suitable to the particular operation without requiring handles ll of undue length, by having the lever action take place with' the fulcrum located at the shoulders l3, as in the described construction, the end; of the 0- washer are-spread apart without excessive dis tortion and the washer is susceptible of re-application.

Having described my invention with reference to a single, preferred embodiment thereof, it will y the appended appear that changes may be made in the tool herein set forth without departing from the spirit and full intendment of the invention as,deflne'd claims.

I claim:

aicaosa i. A tool of the character described comprising paired members having coacting jaw portions terminating in inwardly directed claws adapted to be hooked over the ends of a C-washer, fulcrum shoulders formed on the contront- ,ing faces of said jaws adapted to bear on the sides of the C-washer, means connecting said members together for pivotal and lateral translatory movement relative to each other, said means comprising slotted, overlapping arms projecting from confronting sides, between the ends of said members and a coupler pin extending through the slots in said arms, said pin being tive to each other, said. means comprising slotvted arms projecting laterally from said mem-- bers and a coupling pin extending through the slots in said arms; the end portions of said members opposlte said 'jaws providing handles for manipulating the tool, and a spring adapted to urge said handles in spaced apart relation.

'3. A tool for spreading the ends of a (z-washer, comprising paired members having'intermediate portions disposed in overlapping relation, at least one of said portions having a slot, 9. pin extending through said slot and freely slidable therein,

said pin connecting the members together for angular and lateral translatory movement relative to each other; said members terminating in coacting jaws adapted to encircle a c-washer, the

' inner, confronting faces of said jaws being re- ,cessed to define fulcrum shoulders adapted to bear on the sides of the C-washer' and inwardly directed claws for engaging, the ends of the c-washer. 

